Children's Book Suggestions | South Asian Heritage Month 2026

A few of our favorite books about South Asian Americans past and present published in 2025. For more book ideas, view our 2025 booklist, browse the library catalog, or search for the name of a country or ethnic group (India, Pakistan, etc.).

Updated January 30, 2026
LINCC (Libraries in Clackamas County) Oregon City Public Library
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Children's Book Suggestions | South Asian Heritage Month 2026

A few of our favorite books about South Asian Americans past and present published in 2025. For more book ideas, view our 2025 booklist, browse the library catalog, or search for the name of a country or ethnic group (India, Pakistan, etc.).

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The camel library : a true story from Pakistan
Abbas, Marzieh
Alongside warm and soft illustrations by Anain Shaikh, Marzieh Abbas lovingly weaves the heartfelt true story of Pakistan's first camel library, which reconnected Pakistani children to the light of books in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Meet Roshan the camel! He spends...

Picture Book (Age 4-8)

Dark nights and light hearts : a Muslim book of opposites
Khan, Hena
Islamic culture and the early-learning concept of opposites come together in this stunning companion to Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns. From the warmth of burning incense to the coolness of summer rain, this richly illustrated book of opposites is a...

Picture Book (Age 4-8)

Fall is for beginnings
LaRocca, Rajani
From Newbery Honor author Rajani LaRocca and critically acclaimed illustrator Abhi Alwar, an authentic celebration of friendship and finding your place in this back-to-school picture book and follow up to Summer Is for Cousins Ravi can't wait for the start of the new school year!...

Picture Book (Age 4-8)

Mustafa's mithai
Rafi, Sana
Paper Book
A delightful picture book that celebrates the variety of sweets in South Asia and the small moments shared between loved ones in our everyday lives. Mustafa loves happy occasions because he gets to eat mithai! He looks forward to biting into barfi, munching on halwa, or gobbling...

Picture Book (Age 4-8)

Ali the Great and the robot meltdown
Faruqi, Saadia
Paper Book
Ali and his classmates build robots, but will competition lead to a meltdown? Ms. Alex brings out the makerspace cart, and the class is excited to build robots! But competitive Ali wants to make it a contest, and his fuse runs short when things fall apart. After his meltdown, can Ali...

Early Reader (Grades K-2)

Dance! dance! dance!
Kochar, Amandeep S.
Paper Book
Get ready to move, groove, and spread kindness with Jeet, his lovable pup Fudge, and their friends in Jeet & Fudge: Dance! Dance! Dance! When the group starts rehearsing for the school talent show, everyone is excited--until their new friend Davina begins to feel...

Early Reader (Grades K-2)

Lucky mermaid sleepover
Ruths, Mitali Banerjee
Paper Book
Priya plans a FIN-tastic sleepover for a new friend and raises money to help save coral, in the fifth installment of this full-color early chapter book series! Pick a book. Grow a Reader! This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line, Branches, aimed at newly...

Bridging Fiction (Grades 2-4)

Anika and the great dog rescue
DasGupta, Sayantani
A fun-and-friendship-filled follow-up to Maven Takes the Lead in the must-read middle grade series from Girl Scouts of the USA, starring a group of fifth graders who love making the world a better place. This novel written by New York Times bestselling author Sayantani DasGupta is...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Vanya and the Wild Hunt
Mandanna, Sangu
Paper Book
*Winner of the Good Housekeeping Kids' Book Awards* *A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year* From the bestselling author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches comes an action-packed, enchanting middle grade fantasy about a...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Faiza Is a Fighter
Dasgupta, Debasmita
Paper Book
Faiza wants to win the biggest boxing tournament in town. When the odds are stacked against her, will she be able to achieve her dream without the presence of her biggest supporter? Life in hilly northern India is not easy. Every day, Faiza has to scale the mountains to reach her school or...

Young Teen Graphic Novel (Grades 5-7)

A rakhi for Rakesh
Salomon, Nadia
In this beautifully illustrated picture book, brother and sister duo Rakesh and Aashi discover the importance of forgiveness as they celebrate Raksha Bandhan. Raksha Bandhan, the summer holiday celebrating brothers and sisters, is days away, but Aashi and Rakesh, just can't seem to get...

Holiday Book (Age 4-8)

A Vaisakhi to remember
Singh, Simran Jeet
A new picture book from Simran Jeet Singh, A Vaisakhi to Remember celebrates community and heritage as a young girl looks for points of connection in a new country through the joyous Sikh spring harvest holiday of Vaisakhi. In our village, the best day of all was...

Holiday Book (Age 4-8)

Happy holi! : celebrating the Festival of Colors
Soundar, Chitra
Paper Book
Welcome springtime and celebrate Holi, the Festival of Colors with this vibrant, inviting picture book. As cold winter goes away, it's time for spring to come and play. See the growing moon rise slowly . . . It's only one more day till Holi! ...

Holiday Book (Age 4-8)

Find this list online

https://librarian.syndetics.com/syndeticsunbound/lp/374.603/list/7235

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